Holidays are just around the corner, a lot of us can feel overwhelmed by the number of things left to do on the famous “to-do list” we give ourselves. How can one get everything done and not be completely overwhelmed by stress or physical exhaustion?
Here are a couple of easy tips to help you through the holiday season:
Sleep: Make sure you get enough sleep before, during and after this holiday season. Sleep is very important, it is the time your body uses to regenerate itself.
Hydration: Make sure to drink plenty of water during your holidays! Especially if your holiday’s meals come or are followed by any alcoholic beverages. Alcohol can very quickly get you dehydrated, so if you know it’s coming, grab an extra cup of water for yourself.
Stretch & Exercises: Staying active during the holidays doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming: a walk after a meal, going on a hike (make sure to bring enough layers with you to stay warm), or even having a little stretching session in the morning and/ or evenings. Any of these can do the trick and help you feel better throughout the holidays.
And Breath: Yes, something as simple as breathing can help you manage your stress. Taking a couple of minutes a day to take some deep breaths in through your nose, letting your belly expand, and breathing out through your mouth letting everything relax. This will help you regenerate yourself and be more present, in a better mood, and overall less stressed.
The BIRTHFIT video below demonstrates how to perform diaphragmatic breathing, an exercise that only takes 2 minutes of your day and could really help you during and even after this holiday season:
Wishing you all the best from the Lawlor Clinic for this holiday season and 2020!
To date, Fibromyalgia is still a misunderstood condition. There are many theories as to what causes it, what can trigger it, and what can help with the pain. But we don’t know for sure. As you can imagine, that can be very frustrating for someone who has been diagnosed with this condition, not knowing what to do about it. Lets learn a little more about this common condition.
1. Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes wide spread muscular pain, it is more common in women than in men, and can run in families. Fibro= fibrous tissue, myo= muscle and algia= pain.
2. The newest theories on the causes of it are leaning towards a dysfunction in the nervous system. Something triggers the nervous system and the persons pain response is altered. Or how the brain is interpreting the pain is altered.
3. There are many other symptoms associated with this condition besides muscle pain, some of these include: fatigue, muscle weakness, poor concentration, brain fog, headaches, and anxiety, just to name a few.
4. There is no specific test for fibromyalgia. It cannot be detected in a blood test or scan. The best way to diagnose it is from the persons specific history. Guidelines from the American College of Rheumatology state that the person must have : ” widespread pain lasting more than 3 months, and other general physical symptoms including fatigue, waking unrefreshed, and cognitive (memory or thought) problems.”
5. There is also no specific treatment for fibromyalgia. Common is for patients to be put on pain killers, or anti-inflammatories, and sometimes anti-depressants.
You may be feeling quite grim right now, because we don’t know what causes it, and it can be hard to treat. So what can we do?
Exercise – regular exercises seems to be one of the biggest things that helps to keep fibromyalgia manageable. Not only is this shown in the research about the condition, but in our experiences here in the clinic.
Chiropractic treatments – chiropractic care can help relieve muscle tension and pain that comes along with fibromyalgia.
Laser – our class 4 laser is also a great tool at helping ease the pain of those tender points associated with this condition.
Dry needling/acupuncture- another one that our fibromyalgia patients feel the benefits from.
Nutritional supplementation- more research needs to be done, but there is some evidence to support certain supplements and their role in helping this condition, including vitamin D, co-enzyme Q10, probiotics, and trace minerals magnesium and zinc.
So you can see, there are things that you can do to actively work on taking control of this condition. Our best advice, find a provider who will work with you, looking at the whole picture and incorporating some of the things above, and help you to stay consistent.
Have fibromyalgia? Book an appointment today and let us help you get on the road to managing this condition and getting back to your life!
With the holiday season in full swing its easy to get caught up in the “madness” of the season. And for many, this time of year seems to be more stressful than joyful. We’re here to give you a few tips to help you have a healthy happy holiday season!
Maintaining a routine is a key element in reducing stress. And it can be very difficult this time of year with parties to attend to, visitors from out of town, and dinners to cook. But if you keep some sense of “normalcy” in your daily tasks it can help take some of the pressure off. These include:
Rest– getting enough sleep is vital to how you will feel during the day. Do you ever get that “on edge” feeling when you haven’t slept enough? You will be more likely to lash out at people and feel more tense in general. Best rule, listen to your body, and take time to rest and slow down if you need it. Recruit others to help you get your tasks done.
Exercise– if you have been exercising, KEEP IT UP!! Don’t let a few visitors stop you from going on your daily run or walk. If you haven’t been exercising, today is a good day to start! Getting some activity is a great way to help manage stress levels, exercising also releases “feel-good” hormones into the body. Take your stress out on the gym, not on everyone else!
Food– this one is tough. During the season of excess, how do you maintain your n
ormal diet? With buns and pies everywhere it’s hard to resist, especially when you are not at your own home. Definitely enjoy having food that is out of the normal for you, but resist the temptation to overindulge. Plus, there are many ways to modify recipes to make them healthier choices that are just as tasty.
Stress wreaks havoc on the body and mind. Do what you need to do to calm down from that state: exercise, meditation, yoga, drawing, spending a few minutes alone. Maintaining a normal routine it can help take the stress of the unknown out of the equation. Remember what this season is all about, and enjoy it, because before you know it, it will be over!
